Chapter 17: iGoing To Bed

"Did you bring me any peanuts from the plane?" was the first thing Missy said to Freddie when he returned to the mansion.

Freddie didn't say anything.

"Freddie? Are you okay…?"

Freddie shook his head. "She dumped me. We're over. Going down there and begging her to forgive me was a stupid idea. She doesn't want me anymore and I can't blame her."

Missy looked shocked. That wasn't the result she'd expected. "She didn't mean it-"

"That's what I thought at first," Freddie muttered, running a hand through his dark hair. "But she never wanted to be on the show in the first place. I didn't listen. I tried so hard…I really…love her. But I couldn't make her feel the same way."

"She's got a lot to deal with." Sam had been in love with Freddie ever since they met. How could he not see that?

Freddie was about to say something else when Jonah entered the room, looking upset. "Benson! I was beginning to think you'd run off. Where were you?"

"On a walk," Missy said quickly.

Freddie nodded. "Um…yeah…a walk. I just needed some air. It won't happen again."

Jonah pointed at the door of Missy's office. "Well, get out there! You still have a room full of beautiful girls waiting for you!" He practically shoved Freddie out of the room, then turned to frown at Missy.

Missy sighed, praying her boss wasn't about to fire her. "Sir…"

"Make sure he doesn't take any more walks," Jonah muttered before exiting the room.

Missy groaned in frustration. All this trouble…and she hadn't even gotten a lousy bag of peanuts!

X

"Oh! You're awake…" Sam said when she walked into Spencer's room and saw he was flipping through channels on the TV. She didn't want to disturb him. "Sorry. I'll leave."

"I don't have a disease, Sam," Spencer laughed. "Well, my ability to set everything on fire might worry some doctors…but that's never bothered anyone before. Except the fire department."

Sam forced a smile. "Still not allowed back there, huh?" She remembered Spencer telling her and Carly how he'd set the fire department on fire while making chili. God, what she'd give for a bowl of chili...

Spencer changed the channel from a Mexican game show to some reality show. Wait…the reality show. Love Ain't Reality. It was a rerun. Freddie and Sam were washing the dishes, splashing water everywhere. They looked happy… Sam cleared my throat loudly and looked down at the floor.

Spencer noticed the awkwardness and pressed the "mute" button. "What, you don't like looking at yourself on TV?" He suddenly realized something. "Wait…is the show over already? Did you marry Freddie?" Sam wasn't wearing a ring. "Oh no, he didn't pick you."

Was Sam here to finish him off for forcing her on the show? He gulped. He almost wished the heart attack had killed him. It would have been quicker and less painful than whatever Sam had in mind. Chopsticks…

"Don't worry, Spence. I'm not mad anymore. I just…I don't want to talk about Freddie or the show. And I never want to see another reality show in my life."

Spencer grinned, glad he'd live to see another day. "No problem." He'd ask Carly what had happened later. Had Sam really been kicked off the show? It didn't seem possible, but she was here in Seattle, not L.A. So he did the only thing he could.

He changed the channel to an exclusive report on beavecoons.

X

"So Kate told me I looked like a tomato in this dress," Amber told Freddie. She was wearing a red sequined dress and silver high heels. "And then I punched her. That's why she's holding an ice bag." Amber laughed proudly with satisfaction. "And then I told her she looked like an idiot with an ice bag!" She suddenly noticed Freddie wasn't listening to her. He was staring off in the distance. "Um…Freddie? Are you okay?"

"What? Yeah, sure. Tomatoes are vegetables."

Amber gasped. "Oh my God, I know! I mean, how can tomatoes be a fruit? Do you know anyone that puts tomatoes in a fruit salad?" Amber continued chatting about random stuff while Freddie stood there, miserable. All he could think of was Sam. He wished he was on a date with her instead. He kept thinking about the way she'd kissed him at the hospital. It wasn't like their first kiss at all. It wasn't passionate. It didn't make him want more. It was just…wrong. It felt like he was kissing a stranger.

Was that all she'd ever been?

"You're thinking about Sam."

Freddie looked up at Amber. "Uh…no…"

"Wow, that was convincing," Amber said sarcastically. "Freddie, I'm not blind. I know you miss her. I miss her too. But she made her choice…and now you've got to move on." She suddenly grabbed his hand. "Come on. This is our first alone date! We're at a club. It should be romantic." She dragged him out to the dance floor against his protests. "I can make you forget all about Sam."

Freddie sighed and let her show him how to slow dance. Maybe Amber was right. Maybe forgetting Sam was the only way to be happy.

X

"There is only one necklace left," Nevel said dramatically, holding up the emerald necklace. Only Amber and Kate had not received a necklace yet. "One of you will be leaving the mansion forever." He looked over at Freddie. "Freddie? Time to choose one more lucky girl to stay another week."

The camera zoomed in on Freddie as he took the necklace from Nevel. "Well…I've enjoyed getting to know both of you. This is a hard decision." Actually it was one of the easiest. "But the person I want to save…is…Amber. Sorry, Kate."

"Sorry? Sorry?" Kate shrieked angrily. "You just lost the best thing you ever had! You chose these freaks over me?" You're insane! You know what? You're not even that hot, Freddie Benson! You are such a-"

The rest of her sentence was cut off by a commercial break.

X

Confession Camera:

"I made it!" Amber said happily. Then she frowned into the camera. "But I was in the bottom two. What does that mean? And why was it a hard decision? It was me or Kate! Whatever. I'm just glad that *beep* is finally gone."

Natasha smiled. "I really thought I was going home tonight. I've never been so nervous in my life. Freddie and I didn't really connect last week. He seems so distant lately, like he'd thinking of someone else. I have to try harder to prove myself."

"I'm so happy Kate is gone!" Natasha laughed. "That screaming after she got eliminated? Hilarious! Now that she's gone, I am totally going to win. I got this."

Naomi sat in front of the camera, holding a wine glass. "Wahoo!" she screamed, sounding drunk. "I get to stay another week! That's a whole five days with Freddie! We have so much chemistry. It's like...fireworks...! Wow. Imagine what he's like in bed. Kate is so wrong. He's the hottest guy on Mars!"

Freddie sighed with relief. "To be honest, I'm glad Kate is gone. She was so dramatic. I just want to relax. I'm so tired…I don't really feel like going to the after party tonight. I always hung out with Sam at those, and now…I'm just going to go to bed."

A/N: It's been a while since the last elimination! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter. I know there wasn't a lot of Sam, but I needed to focus on Freddie and the show.

Don't worry! Freddie and Sam will cross paths again…eventually. Anyone think they know who Freddie will pick as his wife? Do you still think it will be Sam?

I have trouble sleeping sometimes. I tried counting sheep in Spanish…it didn't work. Finally I just counted my reviews for this story! Worked like a charm.